Ostracism and depression among Chinese adolescents: the role of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and self-compassion

The research community is expressing an increasing concern about the negative outcomes of ostracism. However, how and when ostracism is associated with adolescents' depression remains to be identified. Guided by the Temporal Need-threat Model, this study aimed to investigate the link between ostracism and depression, and to explore this influencing mechanism further with maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (maladaptive CERSs) and self-compassion tested as a mediator and a moderator respectively. In a cross-sectional survey, a total of 2,057 Chinese adolescents (1,185 females, Mage = 13.88, SDage = 1.28) completed questionnaires regarding ostracism, maladaptive CERSs, self-compassion, and depression. Our hypotheses were tested by model 4 and model 59 of the PROCESS macro. The present study found that ostracism is positively linked to depression, and maladaptive CERSs played a mediating role in this relationship. Furthermore, self-compassion weakened the strength between ostracism and both depression and maladaptive CERSs, as well as between maladaptive CERSs and depression. These findings provide a theoretical and empirical basis for developing intervention strategies to reduce the negative effects of ostracism.